Electric elevator-alarm.



No. 628,597. Patented July ll, I899. H. R. BRUHNS.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR ALARM.

(Application filed Dec. 30, 1898.)

(No Model.)

VA 5 M W y/M l m: Norms wcvzns co.v wow-Luau, WASHINGTON n cy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY R. BRUIINS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC ELEVATOR-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,597, dated July 11, 1899.

Application filed December 30, 1898. Serial No. 700,688. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. BR'UHNS, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Electric Elevator-Alarmsg and I herel declare the following to be a full, clear, exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a means for ignaling the approach of elevator-cages to different floors or points of danger. f

It consists, essentially, of an elejtric alarm and a mechanism by which it is ,ltctuat d by the passage of the cage. ,5"

It also comprises details of; construction which will be more fully explained by ref;

erence to the accompanying drawings, in\

which- ,1

Figure 1 is a general view of my alarm arrangement. Fig. 2 is a detail of the mechanism to operate the alarm.

In the operation of elevator-cages, and especially those which are adapted for conveying freight, it is necessary to warn people upon the different floors of the approach. of the cage from either direction to prevent serious accidents. It also often occurs that when the cage is left standing at a floor for a few minutes it will sometimes start downward by reason of imperfection in the motor-controlling mechanism, and the doors being open the one in charge of the elevator, returning hastily, falls through the elevator-well and is killed or se riously injured.

The object of my invention is to provide a warning-signal which will operate intermittently but for a sufficient length of time, so that it will not be overlooked. A sii'1gle-stroke gong might be used; but such a device is not safe, because the single stroke will often be made without any one hearing it, whereas the continuous alarm made while the cage is pass ing through its entire length will be suiiicient to attract attention.

alarm, which may be in the form of an electric bell C. In order to certainly warn people and to indicate exactly which floor the elevator is approaching, I prefer to make these alarms of different tones, so that each floor will have its own especial alarm, which when heard cannot be mistaken for another. In the present case I have shown a push-button D, by which electrical circuit is completed by contact-pieces in the usual manner for such devices, and a lever-arm E fulcrumed upon the side of the elevator-guide, as shown. One end of this lever is so connected as to press upon the push-button. The other end is connected by a pin F, passing through the side of the guide, with an elastic or spring-pressed plate G, which lies in the channel of the guide and by'its shape protrudes into the path of that part of the elevator-frame which slides in the guide. As here shown, the plate is an elastic spring, having its central convexity protruding into the path of the elevator-slide, so that when the elevator reaches this point it will depress the spring, and forcing that end of the lever outward the other end will press upon the pushbutt0n or other electric contact-piece and complete the electrical circuit.

The electrical current for operating the bell may be furnished'by battery or any convenient source of electrical energy.

The operation will then be as follows: Whenever the cage is passing up, it will actuate one of the signals just previous to its arrival at the floor above, and when passing down it in like manner actuates the signal above before it reaches the floor below, and as the signal is operated during the time it takes the length of the elevator to pass the operating-spring a sufficient warning is given to persons upon the adjacent floor, so that they will not put their heads into the line of travel of the elevator, as is often done, to see where the elevator may be. If the elevator by imperfection of its motor connections starts downward of its own volition, the warning will be given successively, and the attendants will notbe liable to make the mistake of stepping into the elevator'shaft when the cage is not there.

The apparatus is automatically regulated with reference to greater or less compression of the spring Gby a yielding connection c be tween the lever E and the push-button D.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an elevator-alarm, a series of signals of different character placed with relation to each of the floors with which the elevator communicates, contact-making devices whereby an electrical circuit is completed, a fulcrumed lever by which the contacts are made, and a spring connecting with said lever and projecting into the path of travel of the elevator, the elevator having vertical side bars of a length approximately equal to the height of the cage, said bars compressing the springs of each contact as the elevator passes,whereby the elevator actuates the lever to complete the electrical circuit and to produce a continuous alarm while the elevator is passing each signal-station, and a spring which acts automatically to break the circuit and stop the alarm after the elevator haspassed.

2. In an elevator-alarm, a series of independent signals, each having a circuit-closing, device and an electrical circuit, a spring projecting, into the path of the elevator so as to remain depressed during the passage of the entire length of the elevator, afulcrumed lever and a push-bar connecting one end with the said spring, a push-button actuated by the opposite end of the lever to close the circuit, and a second spring interposed between the push-button and thelever to compensate for irregularities of movement of the lever and push-bar.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

I'IENR Y R. BRUIINS.

Witnesses:

S. H. Nonnsn, Jnssin 0. llnonm. 

